Boiler-bottom.



D. J. LAHAY.

BOILER BOTTOM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1909.

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DELL JAMES LAI-IAY, OF COLEMAN, WISCONSIN, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-HALF TO HATTIE SAGER, OF COLEMAN, WISCONSIN.

BOILER-BOTTOM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 22, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

Serial No. 497,661.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DELL JAMES LAHAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Coleman, in the county of Marinette and State of IVisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Boiler-Bottom, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a false bottom with an improved construction which can be readily inserted in an ordinary clothes boiler so as to enable it to be used as a steam cleaner for cleaning lace curtains, and other delicate fabrics.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a bottom lan view of the false bottom Fig. 2 is a ongitudinal vertical section through a boiler with the bottom in position; and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section through the boiler showing the bottom in the act of being inserted.

. Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the boiler which is of elongated form with rounded ends, as indicated.

My device consists of an elongated plate 2 which is adapted to fit over the bottom of the boiler, as indicated in Fi 2. This plate has a continuous downwar ly-turned edge or flange 3 which rests upon the bottom and supports the plate 2 in a slightly elevated position. In this way a flat chamber 4 is formed in the bottom of the boiler. The plate 2 is provided with a plurality of perforations 5 which are spaced nearly equidistant throughout the area of the plate. In the under side of the false bottom or plate 2, a resilient bar or spring 6 is provided. The body of this bar extends longitudinally along the inner side of the flange at one side of the plate, and is provided at preferably two points with outwardl projecting tongues 7. These ton ues are ormed by doubling the material of the bar upon itself. Beyond these tongues 7, the ends of this bar are formed into curved bows 8 which lie along the inner side of the flange at the curved ends of the plate. The ends 9 of these bows are rigidly attached in any suitable manner to the plate. At the point where the tongues 7 are located, openings 10 are formed in the flange, through which the tongues project resiliently, as will be readily understood.

The device is applied to the boiler in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, that is, the edge of the plate 2 from which the tongues 7 project, is laid on the bottom of the boiler with the tongues 7 engaging the side of the boiler, the plate is then forced down into position so that the lower edge of its flange rests upon the bottom 11 of the boiler. In seating the false bottom in this manner the tongues 7 are forced inwardly and will exert a pressure against the side of the boiler suflicient to'hold the false bottom securely in position. This will enable the boiler to be inverted without the false bottom falling out.

In using the steam cleaner, the articles to be cleaned are placed in the boiler over the false bottom, and a'sma-ll quantity of water is placed in the boiler under the clothes. This water is transformed into steam which passes up through the perforations 5 and circulates through the articles.

Attention is called to the fact that with this cleaner the articles are not to be rubbed, but simply exposed to the action of the steam.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

1. A steam cleaner, consisting of a perforated plate having a flange on the under side thereof, said plate having a resilient bar eX- tending longitudinally thereof, near one edge, said bar attached thereto and having resilient bows formed at the ends thereof tending to resist an inward movement of said bar, said bar having tongues projecting beyond the edge of said plate and adapted to engage the wall of a boiler in which said cleaner is inserted and affording means for retaining said cleaner.

2. A false bottom for a steam cleaner, consisting of a plate having a downwardly projecting flange at the edge thereof, and a resilient member attached to said plate, said flange having openings therethrough, said resilient member having tongues projecting through said openings and adapted to engage an adjacent wall to retain said false bottom.

3. A false bottom for a steam cleaner,

5 consisting of a perforated plate having a continuous flange projecting downwardly from. the edge thereof said flange having a pair of openings therethrough, and a resilient bar extending longitudinally on the in- 10 ner side of said flange and having tongues projecting through said openings, said bar I having bows at the ends thereof having their ends attached to said plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 15 two subscribing Witnesses.

DELL JAMES LAHAY.

Vitnesses J. E. SoeER, RICHARD LAHAY. 

